The Sweater Curse
by knitterlywitch
Summary: When he was at Hogwarts, Remus seduced Sirius by teaching him to knit. Years later he uses the same tactics on Tonks. Remus/Sirius, Remus/Tonks. Companion piece to 'Virgin Eyes and Dirty Looks.'


He had taught Sirius, at the other man's request, to knit in sixth year, after they had sex for the first time. They had sat in the dormitory, Peter and James working on homework.

"You think you can teach me to me to knit?" Sirius had asked quietly, a small smile playing on his lips

"I thought only poufs knit," Remus had said, grinning, but keeping his voice low too.

"Exactly why you should teach me."

Remus had closed the bed curtains and then said quietly to Sirius, "Mum taught me to knit by sitting me on her lap, to, you know, guide my hands. Would… would you feel comfortable with that?"

Sirius nodded and sat down on the other boy's lap.

"The first thing you need to learn is how to cast on-" That night, Sirius learned four things, how to cast on, the knit stitch, the purl stitch and that Remus was even better at shagging in a bed than he had been in the middle of the forbidden forest. After that point in time, any time the two of them were alone together they were snogging, shagging each other's brains out or knitting together.

It had been awkward; Sirius hadn't wanted to do a scarf for his first project, instead opting to make a hat. It was too large for its recipient, Peter, but a little fulling had fixed that.

Sirius had wanted to make Remus a jumper for his second project, but decided against it once Remus explained the sweater curse. He announced to the knitting G-ds that the jumper was actually for him; but once it was made, he and Remus wore it about equally.

They'd only knit in the dormitory when they were alone, not wanting to ruin their masculine image or inform the general Hogwarts public that they were shirt-lifters. Many nights it would be just Sirius and him alone in there; Wormtail's incense burning. It would make them drowsy and they'd wake up in each other's beds, curtains closed, luckily, still holding knitting needles. It was surprising that neither boy ended up losing an eye that way.

Once Padfoot had escaped from Azkaban and Dumbledore instructed him to hide out at Remus' house, the two began to settle into a routine. Around five, when he returned home from job hunting, they'd have dinner and then spend the night together; knitting, reminiscing. Then at about ten they'd go to bed. No big projects for Sirius; his nerves and confidence were too shot. He'd make little things like dishcloths or potholders instead, they were always useful and he needed to feel useful. That's why he had knit at Grimmauld place too; to feel useful.

But Sirius was gone now and Molly wasn't the best company when one was knitting; she was always telling him how things went faster when one knit with magic. So he knit alone.

"Cor, Remus, I thought only old ladies knit," proclaimed Tonks walking into the parlour where the man sat.

"Good afternoon, Nymphadora, " he said, looking up from the cabled sock he was making, using her full name to make her angry, "I'm sure Molly wouldn't appreciate you saying that."

She plopped herself down on the couch, making her hair turn from blond and long to pink and spiky, "What are you making?"

"A wand cosy," he replied sarcastically.

"Looks more like a sock to me. Pretty colour though, whatever it is. Still wouldn't picture you knitting; not nearly manly enough."

"The first knitters were thought to be men; Sirius knit." Remus added conversationally, trying to turn the heel of the sock.

"Really? Mum never mentioned that as one of the things she and Sirius needed to learn to be a proper member of the Black family."

"That's cause it wasn't. I taught him in fifth year after we..."

Tonks turned slightly pink as Remus made a slightly obscene gesture to describe what they had done. "Could you teach me? To knit I mean?"

"Sure, just pick out a ball of yarn from that basket over there and I'll help you get started."

It was no surprise to Remus that she picked up some florescent pink fun fur yarn, leftover from one of Molly's projects. She returned to the couch looking rather pleased with her choice.

"It's a lot easier if I can guide your hands. Would you feel comfortable sitting on my lap so I can...?"

"Oh," Tonks blushed again, "of...of course." She sat on his lap, he handed her a pair of knitting needles.

"The first thing you need to do is cast on, "holding her hands at the wrists he showed her how you did that.. She had learned to cast on and was learning the knit stitch when Tonks and he... It was odd, she was beautiful, smelt good and oh so pliable; so willing to do what he wanted, do what pleased him. Perhaps, he wouldn't love her, but she'd be someone to keep him company; keep him warm at night. Then she accidently stabbed him with one of the knitting needles and decided perhaps this wouldn't be safe. So he decided to break off this relationship before it began.

Then three weeks later, Tonks informed him that she might be pregnant and Remus didn't get to decide if he wanted to be with her or not.

End


End file.
